1920
4859

TELEGRAM TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE 
REVOLUTIONARY MILITARY COUNCIL OF THE REPUBLIC IN SIBERIA
March 4, 1920

If grain and timber procurement has improved, you must focus special effort on barges and preparation of timber rafting, particularly barges for oil; then on the construction of housing for the Chelyabinsk and other coal workers. Cannot the Siberian prisoners and officers be transported to the Urals and put to work on coal and timber?

To accelerate responses from the center, obtain direct telegraph lines through the military department.

I repeat briefly: Ishim remains in Tyumen Province. Regarding meat, I have issued an order to organize salting stations.

Concerning regional centers, one must be more cautious and think it through further, so as not to fall into regionalism.

If formations have been inflated in Siberia, you must yourself check the real measures being taken against this, summoning whoever is necessary to the direct line.

The Chairman of the Siberian Revolutionary Committee must be returned to peaceful construction, withdrawn from diplomatic, border, and military affairs.

Lenin

42391

TO A MEMBER OF THE REVOLUTIONARY MILITARY COUNCIL OF THE SIXTH ARMY
March 5, 1920

Display the greatest caution and suspicion in this matter.* See that officers—wishing to penetrate to us for the purpose of demoralizing the army—do not deceive you. Regarding each person wishing to return, conduct the most thorough inquiries, and if you are convinced of the usefulness of his return, report to Moscow for permission. Discuss this same question with the commission that has gone to Arkhangelsk. Present your observations following the discussion.

* A member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Sixth Army requested instructions from V. I. Lenin concerning what to do with officers of the Northern Front who had laid down their arms and expressed readiness to work in Soviet Russia (Archive of IMEL, No. 4856).

From Lenin Miscellany XXXIV

LENIN MISCELLANY

Chicherin's declaration about departing abroad had made the surrender of the White government a condition, but it fled. Do not permit departures abroad for now. Use arrested officers for labor. Those remaining at liberty—for the same purpose. The telegram of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic concerning the dispatch of some of them to the center remains in force.

Lenin

Printed from typewritten copy.

15509

RESOLUTION ON THE TELEGRAM OF THE MILITARY COMMISSAR
OF THE PETROGRAD DISTRICT*
March 10, 1920

To the Council of Defense on the agenda.

4872

TELEGRAM TO G. K. ORDZHONIKIDZE
Caucasus Front**
March 11, 1920

I am very glad of your report that you expect the complete defeat of Denikin soon, but I fear your excessive optimism.

The Poles, it seems, will make war with them inevitable. Therefore the main task now is not the Caucasus Labor Army, but preparation for the fastest possible transfer of the maximum number of troops to the Western Front. Concentrate all efforts on this task. Make use of prisoners with maximum energy for the same purpose.

Lenin

* The telegram raised the question of abolishing the food commission of the Petrograd military district in view of its complete inactivity.

** By order of V. I. Lenin, a copy of this telegram was sent to I. V. Stalin, who was at that time on the Southwestern Front. In the margin of the original, written in V. I. Lenin's hand, there is his notation: "All by cipher."